How to Do Safe Prenatal Bodyweight Exercises

Bodyweight exercises are healthy and safe for most people to do during pregnancy. They help keep your muscles strong while you are pregnant since often pregnant people lose muscle mass. Keeping your muscles strong will also help with labor, prevent some of the aches and pains of pregnancy, and help make it easier for you to pick up and hold your baby after you give birth. Exercise during pregnancy also helps reduce your risk of excessive weight gain, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and a C-section.^{[1]XResearch source} Always talk to your doctor about exercise programs before you start. When doing bodyweight exercises, think about focusing on your entire body by working on your legs, arms, and core.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Performing Leg Exercises

1
Try squats. Squats are a safe body-weight exercise you can do during pregnancy.^{[2]XResearch source} Squats target your entire lower body. To do a squat, start with your feet hip-width apart. Draw your abs in and keep your chest up as you lower yourself down. You should push your hips back as you keep your chest up, like you are sitting in a chair. Then stand back up.
- Try to get at least parallel, but your mobility may limit how far you can go down while keeping good form.
- Make sure you keep your knees over or behind your toes. Your knees should never extend beyond your toes.
2
Perform a lunge. Lunges are another lower body exercise you can do while pregnant to strengthen the lower body and stretch out the hips. Step one leg forward in front of you and lower down until your knee is at a 90 degree angle. Bend your back leg until that knee is also at a 90 degree angle. To finish, step your front foot back to the original position.
- You can either do a number of reps with the same leg or alternate back and forth.
- The knee of your front leg should always be directly over your foot. Don’t extend your knee beyond your foot. This can lead to injury.
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3
Do a plie. Another lower body movement you can do while pregnant is a plie. Stand with your feet wide. Turn your toes out away from your body. Bend your knees as you lower your hips down. Squeeze your glutes and thighs as you lower down and then squeeze back up.
- You can hold light three to five pound weights during this exercise for some added arm strength work.
4
Try a hip swing stretch. Opening up your hips is important during pregnancy because it can help you during delivery. Start this stretch by standing with your feet hip-width apart. Move all your weight to one leg. Swing your free leg forward, getting it as high as possible. Next, swing the leg back as you try to get it as far up as you can. Do this for one minute before you switch.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Try to get the leg you’re swinging parallel to the ground.
- Hold on to the wall or a chair for support if you need to.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Doing Arm Exercises

1
Perform lateral raises. One upper body exercise you can do while you are pregnant is a lateral raise. Stand with your legs wider than hip width. Keeping your arms straight, raise them out to the side until they are about to shoulder height. Hold for a second, then lower down.
- A variation of this is to raise your arms straight out in front of you to shoulder height. You can also rotate, raising your arms to the side for one rep, then raising them in front of you for the next rep.
- These can also be done with light weights.
2
Do push ups. Push ups are a way to strengthen your upper body and lower back while pregnant. You should start on your hands and knees. Your wrists should be wider than shoulder width with your fingers pointing ahead. Keep your abs tight. Lower yourself to the floor by bending your elbows. Make sure to keep your hips lifted. Then, push yourself up.
- Think about touching your forehead to the floor each time you lower yourself down.
- You can also try doing push ups against the wall or using an exercise bench.^{[4]XResearch source}
3
Try tricep dips. Dips are a great upper body workout that isolates your triceps. Sit in a chair and walk your legs out and move off the chair so you are holding yourself up with your arms behind you. Make sure your butt is close to the chair. Lower down until your arms are at 90 degree angles. Push yourself back up until your arms are straight.
- You can walk your legs in and out to increase the difficulty.
- If doing the dips on the chair is too difficult, you can sit on the floor with your arms behind you and do the same exercise.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Performing Core and Hip Exercises

1
Do a glute bridge. Bridges can help strengthen your back, glutes, and legs. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Your arms should be by your side. Exhale as you lift your hips up while pressing your heels into the floor. You shouldn’t arch your lower back, so if that’s happening, you’re too high. Inhale as you slowly return back to the floor.^{[5]XResearch source}
- You can also cross one leg over the opposite thigh for an added stretch. If you do this, then repeat with the other side.
2
Perform a plank. Planks are a full body exercise you can do while pregnant that will help prevent back pain. Get onto all fours and place your wrists under your shoulders. Lift yourself onto your hands and toes. Tighten your core so that your back doesn’t arch. Your body should be a straight line.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Hold for as long as you can.
- To modify, drop your knees to the floor.
3
Try a back-strengthening reach. Strengthening our back and abdominal muscles is important while pregnant. To help with this, get on your hands and knees with your core tight. Make sure your wrists are directly under the shoulders. Lift one of your arms at the same time you lift the opposite leg. They should be parallel to the floor. Hold that position for a count of three, then release.
- Repeat using the opposite leg and arm.
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If you were weight training before you became pregnant, then you can continue to follow your usual training routine. If you were not weight training before you became pregnant, then you can still weight train, but do not lift more than 10 to 20 pounds.
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Modified Pilates is also a great way to strengthen your core during pregnancy.
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